Rav Ovadiah always viewed Shas as a bridge between religious and secular forces in Israel
Israel has a long history of religious parties, dating back to before the founding of the modern state. So when Rav Ovadiah Yosef, with inspiration from Rav Shach, founded Shas in 1984, he was in tune with the times. At the same time, his stated goal in forming the party was to restore pride to the masses of Sephardic Jewry, and to ensure their equality in getting a fair share of the budget for their communal, religious, and social life.
For Rav Ovadiah, that mission could only be accomplished by being a driving force in several directions at once: halachic, cultural, and political.
Shas filled the political bill, with Rav Yosef declaring, “We have enough people, enough passion, and enough pride to form our own party and fund our own institutions.”
The first time Shas formed a Knesset slate in 1984, it won four seats, one of which was held by his son Rav Yaakov.
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